Supercars leader Shane van Gisbergen provides a glimpse into life behind the wheel2:14

Supercars Championship leader Shane van Gisbergen has provided a glimpse into life as a professional V8 driver. Van Gisbergen put his Red Bull Racing car through its paces in a hot lap with Gold Coast Bulletin journalist Tom Boswell in the passenger seat at the Norwell Motorplex.

November 17th 2016

10 months ago

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Mark Winterbottom has endured an up-and-down season.Source:Supplied

MARK Winterbottom is not giving Shane Van Gisbergen the prized No. 1 sticker he earned by winning the Supercars championship on the streets of Sydney Olympic Park last year.

“I am just loaning it to him,’’ said Winterbottom.

“It is not his to keep. That is the way I am looking at it anyway.’’

Set to lose his V8 crown this weekend at the season-ending Sydney 500, the Ford star has declared he will reclaim the trophy next season by beating the raging Red Bulls.

He is already plotting his revenge after Van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup ended his title defence.

“It has been a season of highs and lows,’’ the Prodrive Racing Australia driver said.

“Winning races has been good but we haven’t won enough. The high was obviously rolling out with the No. 1 and the low is going to be losing it. I spent my whole career trying to earn that No. 1 and it is going to suck taking it off after the 12 years it took me to get it.

“I must say I am really disappointed about it and I am not looking forward to having to rip it off and give it away. I certainly would have liked to have been in a bigger fight for it.’’

Mark Winterbottom has endured an up-and-down season.Source:Supplied

Winterbottom admitted his team was not good enough to challenge the all conquering Triple Eight Race Engineering stable, who could create history this weekend by becoming the first team to finish first, second and third in the championship.

“We were competitive against the rest but not against the Red Bulls,’’ Winterbottom said.

“We weren’t good enough to catch them. That is the bottom line. We looked like we were getting close at certain times and then they would just kick away.’’

Shane Van Gisbergen is is set to be the new Supercars champion.Source:Supplied

“We just need to win it back again. We have full intention of rolling out next year and beating them. But we need to bridge the gap. They continue to improve. You think they are at their peak and then they get better. If you are looking for three per cent, well you will have to find five per cent because they are going to improve more than whatever you estimate. That is just the way it is with them.’’

A new tyre construction may help put Winterbottom’s team back in the game.

“That is going to be huge,’’ Winterbottom said.

“It will create a whole new variable and we need to be able to be the team that best adapts to it. Unfortunately the other mob has had a headstart with one of their drivers already testing it.

“That is a concern but we need to get on top of it in February when we roll out on it. It has the potential to completely change the handing of the car. In the meantime we have to work on things that aren’t related to that tyre.’’

Despite his long-term optimism, Winterbottom is not expecting to end the year with a win.

“This is not our best track,’’ Winterbottom said.

“And it is the Red Bulls’ best track. We will be against it but I have the advantage that I am not fighting for anything and can be completely committed.’’